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Friday, February 29, 2008, 4:20 PM
Today's 29 February! :D Leap day (:Most of us are told that a calendar year is 365 days. In reality, it actually takes the earth a little longer to complete it's trip around the sun. How long? It takes five hours, forty eight minutes and forty five seconds longer.
Back in 45 B.C.E, Julius Caesar proposed his calendar be changed to accommodate this little discrepancy by fixing the solar year at 365 days, 6 hours or 365 & 1/4 days. Since 6 X 4 = 24, that meant that every four years those 6 extra hours would add up to one full day. This extra day was added to the month of February because it was the shortest month in the year already.
How did the term "Leap year" come to be? One explanation is that this additional of February 29 did not have any legal status in the old English courts. So February 29th was 'leaped over' in the records and whatever happened on that day was dated February 28th.
February 29th is often referred to as "Ladies Day". This is because of the old tradition that women are allowed to propose marriage to men not only on Leap Year Day (29/2) but throughout the entire Leap Year. This tradition can be traced back to an old Irish legend concerning St.Patrick and St.Bridget in the 5th Century.
Bridget complained that her nuns were upset because they never had a chance to propose marriage. (Note: At this time, the celibacy rule in religious orders was based on personal private vows and not a requirement by the church.) So, Patrick suggested that the women would be given this privilege every 7 years. This wasn't good enough for Bridget. She said it should be every four years! So, Patrick compromised and obliged the women by saying that they could have Leap Year. Patrick felt this showed just how passive women were expected to be in those days. Much to his surprise, Bridget then proposed to him! Patrick declined her proposal. Instead he promised to give her a silk gown and a kiss.
So... in the British Isles during the Middle Ages there was an unwritten law that stated every single man who turned down a woman's proposal during Leap Year had to compensate her with a kiss plus either a silk gown or a pair of gloves. You can imagine what good business the dressmakers and glovemakers had every four years!
There is another tradition that February 29th is also called "Bachelor Day". This means, that February 29th is the only day out of the entire Leap Year that a woman cannot propose to a man. Or if she does and the guy turns her down, he does not have to buy her a dress or kiss her. So, February 29th as "Bachelor Day" is the one day out of the entire Leap Year the guys get a break from all this romance! But be careful. The girls can start proposing again March 1st!
This is what I found on the internet. (: Here's the link: http://www.brownielocks.com/leapyear.htmlYour can go check it out, I think there are still some other informations there [:
I wonder how many people are born under this day? How will they be celebrating their birthday...
On thursday, we went to Suntec City for a career exhibition? Walked around there & took some brochures home (:
Today, went for mass run. In the morning saw Peishan & co. so walked with them :D
As for the mass run, I walked all the way too.
After that went to Mac with Raja and walked around Northpoint. & I lost my $10 on the way! I don't know how I lost it also. zzz.
Oh, I passed my tests!
Amath: 19/30
Chem: 18.5/25
POA: 20/25
Waiting for my history result on mondayyyyyyyy! ((: